Adjustable needle-lever bearing for sewing machines



June 17, 1930. BOWMAN 1,763,949

Filed Feb. 15', 1928 \mmmmu ATTORNEY.

STATES LOUIS G. BOWMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO SEXTON MFG. COMPANY, OF

FAIRFIELD, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS ADJUSTABLE NEEDLE-LEVER BEARING FOR SEWING MACHINES Application filed. February 15, 1928. Serial No. 254,507.

This invention relates generally to new and useful improvements in needle operating mechanisms for sewing machines, and particularly to the bearing for supporting the needle lever.

Among the several objects of my invention are to provide a bearing by means of which the wear may be quickly taken up without removing the needle lever; to provide a 2-point rigid bearing for the lever; to provide such a bearing whereby the lever may be readily adjusted bodily to aline the same with the needle bar, and to provide a bearing construction by means of which the needle lever may be readily assembled or disassembled as may be desired.

With these and other objects in view which will more fully appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by following the description, the appended claims, and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate one form of my invention:

Figure l is a front elevation of a sewing machine embodying my invention, and

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings. I

Referring to the drawings, I have shown my invention as applied to a sewing machine having a base 5, a work support 6, a standard 7 which extends upwardly from the base, an overhanging arm 8, and a needle head 9 at the free end of said arm.

J ournaled on the overhanging arm 8 through the medium of my improved horizontal bearing A is a needle lever 10 for reciprocating vertically the needle bar 11. The needle bar is provided with a collar 12 having a laterally projecting car 13 to which the lower end of a vertical link 14 is pivotally connected as at 15, the upper end ofv the link being pivotally connected, as at 16, to the free end of the needle lever 10. The needle lever is actuated from the main shaft 17 of the machine through a needle lever extension 18 and a pitman 19 which cooperates in the usual way with an eccentric on Formed in the overhanging arm 8 is a trans versely disposed threaded opening 21, and a similar opening 22 is formed in the vertical portion'20 of the bearing arm 20, the openings 21, 22 being in alinement. The needle lever 10 is formed with a transverse opening 23 and fitted within said opening at opposite ends thereof are hardened steel conical bushings 24, 25. Threaded bearing studs 26, 27 are respectively threaded into the openings 21 and 22, and the inner ends of said studs are formed with hardened steel conical bearings 28, 29 respectively for engaging the corresponding bushings 24, 25. The outer end of the stud 26 projects rearwardly beyond the rear face of the overhanging arm and a clamping nut30 is associated therewith. The outer end of the stud 27 projects forwardly in front of the bearing arm 20 and a clamping nut 31 is associated therewith. The outer ends of the studs are respectively provided with screw driver slots From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided a 2-point rigid bearing for the needle lever; that when assembling the needle lever may be readily adjusted transversely of its plane of oscillation so as to quickly aline the same with the needle bar by first loosening the nuts 30, 31, then separately adjusting the threaded studs and finally clamping the nuts against the overhanging arm 8 and the bearing arm 20, and that any wear on the bearing parts may be readily taken up by adjusting both studs towards the needle lever.

It is of course to be understood that the details of structure and arrangements of parts may be variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a sewing machine the combination with an overhanging arm, of a needle bar reciprocating in said arm, a needle lever for reciprocating said needle bar, and means for pivotally supporting said needle lever comprising a bearing arm rigidly connected to the overhanging arm and extending for wardly thereof, and transversely/disposed alined bearing studs respectively mounted in said overhanging arm and said bearing arm and engaging the needle lever on opposite sides thereof. v

2. In asewing machine, the combination with an overhanging arm, of a needle bar reciprocatingin'said arm, a needle lever for reciprocating said needle bar, and means for pivotally supportingsaid needle lever com- 7 prising a bearing arm rigidly connected to the overhanging arm and extending forwardly thereof, transversely disposed .alined bearing studs respectively mounted 'in said overhanging arm and said bearing arm for separate adjustment transversely of said arms and engaging the needle lever onlopposite sides thereof, and means for clamping said studs in adjusted positions] 3. In a sewing machine, the combination with an overhanging arm, of a needle bar reciprocating in said arm, a .needle lever for reciprocating said needle bar and formed with a bearing opening, and means for piv otally supporting said needle lever comprising a bearing .arm rigidly connected to the overhanging arm and extending forwardly and downwardly therefrom, the needle level" 7 being disposed between the overhanging arm and the downwardly extending portion of the bearing arm, and means for pivotally supporting said needle lever comprising hardened metal conical bushings -fitted into ithe opposite ends .of the needle lever opening, and alined bearing studs respectively threaded into the overhanging arm and the downwardly extending portion of the bearing arm for independent adjustment towards and'from the needle lever, the inner ends of the studs being formed with hardened metal conical bearings for respectively engaging the conical bushings of the needle lever, the outer ends of the studs respectively projecting beyond the rear face of the overhanging arm and the front face of the bearmg arm, and clamping nuts threaded onto the outer end of said studs.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

LOUIS e. BOWMAN. 

